


A Chocolate Heart

by Fangirl_016



Category: Fight For My Way, Korean Drama, 쌈 마이웨이 | Fight For My Way
Genre: Ae-ra buys Valentine's Day chocolates for Dongman, F/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24201505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_016/pseuds/Fangirl_016
Summary: When Ae-ra gives Dongman chocolates on Valentine's Day, 2010.
Relationships: Choi Ae-ra & Ko Dongman
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

It is Valentine's Day. For the last two years, Ko Dongman has been celebrating this day with his girlfriend, Park Hye-ran. He was happy. He loved her.

However, things changed when Hye-ran won a talent hunt for TV announcer last month. He was waiting in the audience, cheering for her.

After the event, she told him, "We are incompatible, Oppa. Let's break up."

"What are you saying, Hye-ran?" he asked, shocked.

"I would now have to network with fellow announcers and TV people. I think we should end this here, Oppa. I love you," she kissed him and walked away.

So here he is, all alone on Valentine's Day. All shops seemed to be full of chocolates and flowers. 

"I need a drink," decides Dongman and calls up his childhood buddy, Choi Ae-ra.

~~

Choi Ae-ra is a tomboy. She has always been their leader when Dongman and she were children. Now, in college, she is a well-respected senior who is known to be outspoken and loud. 

Ae-ra arrives in no time. 

"I was thinking you must be moping somewhere crying over that Hye-ran. Good that you called me," she says.

They settle down in their favourite bar and he tells her all about his sad life, never mind that he has already told her the story many times before. Ae-ra nods comfortingly and pats him on the back.

"It's over, Dongman. Snap out of it now," she says as softly as she can.

When he does not react badly, she says, "I always thought that she was not very serious about you. Don't get mad, ok? Maybe it is good that you guys broke up. So cheer up now."

Dongman sighs. He gulps his drink in one go and nods his head vigorously.

"I know. It's time to move on," he says.

"Ya. Why don't you wait for me here? I will be just back in five minutes," she says as she rushes outside.

~~

Unknown to Dongman, Ae-ra has always had a crush on him. She had suffered all these years seeing him with Hye-ran. Now that they have broken up and he seems ready to move on, Ae-ra decides to make her move. She buys a chocolate heart from a gift shop and returns to the bar.

Dongman is no longer alone. His good friend, Kim Joo-man is sitting at their table and they are laughing uproariously over something. Ae-ra quickly shoves the chocolate in her bag and joins them.

"Joo-man?"

"Yeah, Ae-ra. So you did not get any chocolate too?" Joo-man says amidst laughter. 

"Let's celebrate! We are the losers. No one gives us chocolates and we don't give it to anyone either!" says Dongman.

"Come Ae-ra, drink the shots. Special No-Valentine shots," says Joo-man.

Ae-ra joins in reluctantly but does not drink much.

Yet another chance is gone, Ae-ra thinks and grits her teeth. How will she share her feelings in front of Joo-man?

"Dongman, You are drinking too much!" Ae-ra yells but Dongman pays no heed to her.

"Why should we not drink? It is No-Valentine's Day for us," says Dongman.

"Fine. I will just leave. You losers can spend the whole evening wasting yourselves," she says. 

She leaves her share of the money on the table and marches out. Her bag gets stuck in one of the chairs. Before she knows, all the contents of her bag are out on the floor - her wallet, notebook, pen case and the gift-packed chocolate heart! 

Ae-ra winces and quickly puts them back again but the boys are faster than her.

"Ya Ya Choi Ae-ra. Come back here fast," says Dongman as he pulls her back to their table.

"Did I see a chocolate heart in your bag?" Dongman asks. 

"No. I mean," Ae-ra mumbles.

"Choi Ae-ra with a chocolate heart! I never thought I would see this!" laughs Joo-man.

"So, who is this mad guy who gave you this? Does he not fear for his life?" asks a laughing Dongman.

"Uhh, now I understand. You went to meet him outside. Just call him here. We can have dinner together while I tell him your stories. No, wait! If I tell him your stories, he would never come back!" he adds.

They again break into peals of laughter.

Ae-ra lashes out at them and leaves. She drops the chocolate in the nearest dust bin and returns to her room. 

~~

"Ya, Chocolate Heart, where is your boyfriend?" asks Dongman as he drops down beside her.

"What boyfriend?" she asks.

"Ya. Joo-man and I both saw a chocolate heart in your bag!"

"Huh. You drank so much that you were seeing things! Drink less," she says as she gets up.

Dongman is confused. Why is Ae-ra behaving like this?

He catches up with her and says, "He ran away. Is it? Did you scold him? Listen. You cannot just yell and bark at your boyfriend."

Ae-ra wants to hit him on the face but does not as he sounds concerned.

"Okay. Come with me," he says as he leads her to a small gift shop.

Ironically, she had bought the chocolates from the same shop. Ae-ra sighs.

He hands her a chocolate heart and hugs her. 

"Heartbreaks are tough. But they are a part of life. Okay? Come, let's eat this up," he says.

Ae-ra smiles. Should she tell him that the chocolate heart was for him? Or should she just let it go and hang out with him?

For the moment, she decides to hang out.

They are just about to leave the store when a shopping-clerk stops Ae-ra.

"I was looking for you from the 14th, madam. You had forgotten the free chocolate heart that day. Here you go," she hands her another chocolate heart and smiles.

"I think you are mistaken," says Dongman, "She did not buy any chocolate that day."

"Oh, no Sir. She did. I remember her clearly. She was my first customer. I joined work that evening as the shop was understaffed," she says.

Ae-ra smiles at Dongman when they are out of the shop.

"I am caught, right?" she says. 

"So you bought the chocolates? For whom? Ya! Why aren't you talking? Is it a girl by any chance? You can tell me," he says.

"And you would let out all my secrets when you drink with Joo-man?" she asks.

"No. I promise. I won't," he says.

She walks into a park and sits on the grass. He sits beside her. 

"It was for you," she says as she catches his eye, "I like you, Dongman."

"What?" he asks and forgets to close his mouth for a while.

"Me? You like me?" he asks again.

She nods her head and sighs.

"It's ok. You don't have to like me back. I just wanted to tell you how I feel. Come, let's eat up the chocolates," she says.

"Sure," he says as he accepts a piece.

He lies down on the grass and looks at the sky.

She plays with the grass.

After some time, he says, "Listen, Ae-ra. I am sorry."

She nods her head.

"I don't feel like that about you," he says.

"It's okay. Just don't tell anyone about it. Okay?" she says.

"Of course," he says.

"By the way, how can you like me? We grew up together!"

"I don't know," she says as she shrugs her shoulders.

"You will get over me in no time," Dongman says as he gets up and sits beside her, "There are so many handsome men around. Don't worry."

Ae-ra laughs. 

"Fine. I will look for a handsome man and date him. You date someone you like," she says.

"Deal. And next Valentine's, we will be with our dates," he says.

~~


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isn't Valentine's Day for friends too?

Seven years have passed. It is Valentine's Day again - one of the busiest days of the year for everyone at "Lucky Departmental Store". Like all the other staff, Ae-ra has been on her feet the whole day. By the time her shift ends, her feet are throbbing with pain. 

The room that she shares with her childhood friend, Sul-hee is neat as usual. Sul-hee's pink bed and accessories give her end of the room a rosy tinge. Ae-ra smiles at her friend's obsession with the colour. There is no way Sul-hee would be back today. Sul-hee and Joo-man(who had first joined their group, "The Fantastic Four", as Dongman's friend) have been going steady for six years now. They must be having a full-fledged date with candle-lights and pink teddy bears. Her heart warms up as she imagines how happy Sul-hee must be.

All her daily chores seem like tedious obstacles today, thanks to her painful feet. However, when she collapses on her couch, feet immersed in lukewarm salt-water, an open soju bottle on the table in front of her, and sips into her drink, it feels like heaven. The soju burns her throat and she closes her eyes, lost in the magic of the moment.

The door opens. Her neighbour, friend, crush and so much more, Dongman steps in. 

He keeps a plastic bottle on the table in front of her. "For your varicose veins. My friend's mother said it is useful."

Ae-ra reads the fine-print and nods her head. "Thanks."

Dongman sits beside her. "I was afraid that you were out with that Moo-bin punk."

Ae-ra scoffs. "You think I could get a leave on Valentine's Day!"

"If you got it, you would have gone out with him?" Dongman's jaw clenches.

"Why not?"

Dongman exhales and scratches his cheek.

"How many times will I have to tell you? He is a fake!"

"Like your precious Hye-ran? Don't worry. Moo bin shi is sweet. He keeps me happy!"

Ae-ra does not know what prompts her to defend Moo-bin every time Dongman brings him up but each time she does it, Dongman's antics amuse her.

Their back and forth continues as they drink soju. When they feel hungry, Dongman prepares ramyeon. He provides her with another warm salt-water vessel to dip her feet. 

"Moo bin is a mistake, Ae-ra," he says after gulping a chopstick-full of ramyeon.

"Fine. Can't I make mistakes? He is a rich and successful man and he loves me. Who knows? He may be the love of my life!" she declares dramatically. 

Dongman scoffs. "Your love life has always been full of mistakes. You have fallen for losers all your life. Why that.."

He remembers how Ae-ra had once confessed her love for him and stops.

Ae-ra winces. "I may have made mistakes in the past but I am going to put my best foot forward and date Moo bin shi."

She flashes a determined look at Dongman. He groans with frustration.

There is a loud squabble outside the door. They can overhear Sul-hee swearing at Joo-man. Sul-hee rushes in, loudly shutting the door behind her.

"Do you have some ramyeon left?" She gets a bowl and helps herself to the leftover ramyeon.

"What happened?" asks Ae-ra gently.

"Joo-man forgot to book a table at our favourite restaurant. I let that go. I know he is busy at work and may have forgotten. We went to have food at a sundae stall. As soon as we got the food, he flashed out his phone and started playing his game! I asked him to have a nice meal with his phone and left," fumes Sul-hee.

Dongman quietly prepares a bowl of ramyeon and places it before Sul-hee.

"Thank you, Dongman." Sul-hee's face softens. 

She beams a contented smile at her friends. "You know what? This feels so good. Venting out about my love-life to Ae-ra as Dongman prepares ramyeon for me."

"I was thinking," she says after a few bites, "Why is Valentine's Day only for boyfriends and girlfriends? They can be for friends too! Happy Valentine's Day, my chingu's!"

"You have had a long day, mom. Eat up, drink a little soju and crash into the bed."

Sul-hee does just that and before they know, starts snoring.

"I guess she has a point," Ae-ra says as she washes vessels with Dongman. "Happy Valentine's Day, chingu."

Dongman's face brightens up as he gives her a half-hug. "Happy Valentine's Day, chingu."


End file.
